Time to Heal
by Imaginationqueen87
Summary: Someone from Chance and Jake's past has returned. What is the reason for her return, and can Jake forgive himself for something he had no control over. Jakexoc maybe chancexcallie dunno on that one
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own SWAT Kats

A/n: after getting told this story needed a beta I went back over it and fixed what errors in grammar I could find, so now the first two chapters have been revised and I will be more careful with the rest so pls. enjoy

Time to Heal

It was winter in Mega Kat City and a blanket of snow seemed to coat every square inch of the city, but life still went on as always. Jake Clawson was looking through the rubbish at the junk yard trying to find things to help modify the turbokat when he heard something moving around.

'Must be just another junk yard raccoon' then a loud crash caught his attention. 'Some raccoon'

He went to investigate and found a strange she-kat laying in a dumped over pile of junk.

"Hi…" she said sounding quite awkward.

"Hi yourself, how'd you get down there?" Jake asked

"I kinda got lost and fell… you wouldn't happen to know where I could find a Chance Furlong?" she asked

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh there is a paraplegic she kat at the entrance of the junk yard and she is looking for him… she says she's a former Enforcer"

Jake looked confused for about a second

"Wait, dark grey stripped she-kat, paralyzed from the waist down?"

"Yep, that's her"

"That's his sister, Raven Furlong; she was a pilot that was injured in a test flight"

The strange she-kat went with Jake to the entrance to the junkyard where they found the young she-kat sitting in her wheelchair waiting.

"Raven, are you okay?" Jake asked

"I'm doing okay, what about you, Jake?" Raven asked

"All things considered, I'm fine… let me guess you didn't come to catch up with me" Jake smirked "come one, there's a clear path to the workshop where Chance is."

"Okay, Jake, I've got things I want to tell him about" Raven sighed

They got inside

"Hey Chance, we've got company…" Jake said, "…or should I say you have company"

"Who would come here just to visit me?"

"How about your baby sister" Raven grinned

"Raven, what brings you around here?"

"I have important news… I'm taking part in a research study that may allow me to walk again," she said then waited to hear her

"Sis, are you sure you should…"

"They say I'm a prime candidate for the procedure, Chance… besides, if I don't try I'll never fly again, and Chance I miss being able to pilot."

Chance looked at his little sister his mind racing to when the tragedy happened that cost his sister her ability to walk and a promising Enforcer carrier.

She was taking a test flight of a new plane with Jake Clawson in the bomber seat. Nothing in that flight went to plan, it had started with sluggish controls and sites that were way off. That set up a chain of events that led to his sister almost losing her life.

"Raven I'm not sure about this… it sounds dangerous…"

"Chance, since when did something sounding dangerous ever deter you?" Raven asked

"Yeah, but… Raven you're my baby sister, I can't risk you like this?"

"You let me fly an Enforcer Jet, Chance, how safe is that?"

Chance sighed she had him there

"Yeah, but you know I only tolerated that because you loved flying almost more than I do… and you were just as good"

"I was taught by the best" Raven smirked "and bro, I do get to walk again I can start flying again… I doubt that I can rejoin the Enforcers, but I can fly public transport planes or private jets."

"Are you sure you won't want to go back to your hotshot ways…" Chance asked, "You never know, Feral might let you back into the Enforcers."

"With a brother like you, I seriously doubt it" Raven laughed, "but it could happen"

"Yeah, neither of us had a really good Enforcer track record" Chance observed

"Nope,"

"Hey Raven, ya want some milk?"

"Sure, if my big brother doesn't mind I hang around" Raven grinned

"I don't mind" Chance chuckled, "besides; the shop is quiet today… so milk all around"

"Sounds like a plan to me" Jake chimed

They went into the living area and began to catch up on old times. Raven didn't know that her brother was a SWAT kat; it was all to keep his identity secret.

"You know that I've been working with an investigative team lately," Raven said

"Really, that sounds cool"

"Yeah, except here's the strange thing my boss has some weird rules that he asks that we go by… one of them, rule nine is always carry a knife" Raven said

"Why carry a knife?"

"You never know when you could use it… like maybe for leverage on something, or in place of a screw driver, or as a knife"

"So do you carry a knife?"

"Yes, a pocket knife, but yeah I carry one"

"If that's rule nine, what's rule one?"

"Never screw over your partner" Raven replied "he also has a rule about secrets 'the best way to keep a secret is to tell no one, second best tell one kat. There is no third best.'"

"Sounds like a reliable way to keep a secret"

"Yep, that is rule 8; he also has a rule that says never be unreachable, rule 3 if I remember correctly"

"Yeah, you may be needed at any time… so it's always good to be where someone can get in touch with you" Jake said

"Yeah, but sometimes you don't want to be reached… like by Feral" Chance said

"I'll add a big amen to that, I still have to deal with Feral on occasion… not pleasant, believe me"

After Raven left, she got a phone call that something wasn't right where she worked and she needed to get there right away.

"Oh crud…" she muttered and headed into the office

"What did Commander Feral screw up this time?"

"You mean besides the fact that he doesn't know, and therefore doesn't heed rule 9" her coworker Abby Manx (no relation to Mayor Manx) replied "A lot, I think the SWAT Kats should be here soon"

"As usual…" Raven smirked "and no, he's never heard rule 9, it's not an Enforcer rule, it's one of our boss's ideas"

"Good point… how do you know that?" Abby asked

"Well I was an Enforcer, and so was my older brother, and when I mentioned rule 9 to him he looked at me like I had lost my mind," Raven laughed

"Your brother is Chance Furlong, right?"

"Yep, that's him" Raven said "whoa… cats alive"

"What is it, Raven?"

"That tom kat, the one flying the turbokat, can we get a good view of him?"

"Let me see, yep, why?"

"Nothing, I though he looked familiar…"

"Okay, Rae, now you're scaring me"

"Can it Abs" Raven gave her friend a playful shove

'Could that have been Chance?' Raven thought 'No, it couldn't be… my brother can't be T-Bone"

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

That afternoon Raven went back to the Enforcer salvage yard, she had some questions for her older brother.

"Raven, I didn't expect you to be back so soon," Jake said

"Raven is something wrong?" Chance asked

"No, I just saw a tom that looked exactly like you flying a jet earlier today… but he was wearing a mask so I really couldn't tell." Raven said trying to milk out some information that Chance didn't give her.

"Raven I don't know what you're talking about"

She went home still wondering if the Tom in that jet was really her brother, then during the night another incident brought out the SWAT Kats, only this time it was closer to Raven than they expected.

Raven looked out her window and noticed what was going on Mac and Molly Mange was on the attack, again.

"Darn that stupid Hackle," Raven muttered, "When is he going to learn that you cannot control those two?"

That was when it happened; Mac and Molly managed to get inside her place.

"Crud!" she exclaimed as she tried to get to safety. She managed to hide before they could find her, she managed to hear them pillaging around her apartment, then she heard two more individuals enter the apartment and she heard a voice that sounded a lot like her brother, Chance Furlong.

'No way, that can't be… Chance would have told me…' Raven thought, then remembered one of the man rules her boss had drilled into her head about secrets.

'If this is Chance then he probably told Jake, meaning he has told one kat'

Mac hit the door of the closet she was hiding in and she couldn't hold in the scream

"Hey, Mac there's someone back there," Molly said

'Holly Kats that sounded like Raven' T-Bone thought in fear he knew his sister was in no place to defend herself, especially against these two robots. He hadn't realized that this was her place, until he heard her.

"Razor, we've gotta get our tails out of here, there's an innocent she-kat in this place"

"Crud, we've got to lure these hunks of metal out of here before they find her"

"They already have" T-Bone muttered

Mac pulled Raven out of the closet and out of her chair.

"Put her down this instant, Mac, she isn't involved in this," T-Bone commanded

"Oh really, she's involved now, SWAT kat, so deal with it" Molly said

Mac and Molly made quickly their escape, carrying Raven along.

"Crud…" T-Bone roared

"ATTENTION ALL ENFORCERS THE METALLICATS NOW HAVE A HOSTAGE, REPEAT, THE METALLICATS HAVE A HOSTAGE!" Jake broadcasted over the Enforcer band

"How did you two hotshots get on this band…?"

"Feral, that doesn't matter, what matters is they captured a disabled woman from her apartment" T-Bone stated, "She had an Enforcer shield in a frame on her wall, so I think she was once an Enforcer that was injured in the line of duty."

"Did you see a name?" Feral asked

"On the frame it had Lieutenant R. Furlong," Razor said

"Well, I expect you to leave this to the Enforcers" Feral said

They cut off the communication and began to talk among themselves.

'Not a chance Feral, that's my kid sister, I'm not letting those metallic freaks hurt her'

"I can't believe they captured her, Razor," T-Bone said

"I know, buddy, but we'll get her back, if those Metallicats are anything they aren't very smart."

"Well, they were smart enough to know that we wouldn't fire if they had a hostage" T-Bone pointed out "we can't risk it…"

"Are you saying that because they have a hostage or because that hostage is your sister?"

T-Bone said nothing

"Both…? All right… look T-Bone, I never really said anything, but I like your sister, a lot… when she got hurt I was terrified, not just, because I was afraid of how hard you'd kick my tail. I was afraid we'd lose her and she wouldn't know what I wanted to tell her."

"And what was that…"

"Let's save it for when we get her back" Razor suggested

"Okay, Razor, but don't think you're off the hook."

Later that evening the Enforcers found the Metallicat Express in an abandoned alleyway, there were no clues as to where the two crooks might have gone with Raven and Feral didn't like that fact.

They began to search around the area hoping to find something that would lead them to Raven Furlong.

T-Bone and Razor were also searching for clues to Raven's location… they were having marginally more luck than the Enforcers as they had some technology that was better than what the Enforcers had. They also had things that Feral and his team could only dream of having.

T-Bone didn't seem to be up to his normal standards and Razor figured it was because he was worried about Raven. Razor couldn't really blame T-Bone his sister was in trouble.

Meanwhile Raven was tied up and watching Mac and Molly do whatever it was they were doing

"You do know that tying my ankles was pointless, I can't walk" Raven said

The Metallicats seemed to ignore her and she noticed that fact. They continued to work on whatever they had going on and Raven began to wonder why she was grabbed in the first place.

"We have to find her, Razor," T-Bone roared angrily

"I know, T-Bone, we're doing all we can."

"Apparently that isn't enough 'because we haven't found her Razor," T-Bone said angrily.

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Feral knew that things weren't looking good for the missing woman; they had verified that Raven Furlong was captured. Something the SWAT Kats already knew.

Raven had been a proud Enforcer before the incident that had cost her the ability to walk. She was now proud to help the Enforcers any way she could.

They knew that the longer those 'hoods' had her less likely it was they would find her alive.

"Why capture me?" she asked

"'Cause you were there," Molly replied over her shoulder

"Really, that's the only reason, not because I put you two hoods behind bars once" Raven said

"You did what; look no gal in a wheelchair has ever put us behind bars"

"I wasn't always in a wheelchair… I was Lieutenant Raven Furlong, and I believe I was the one that took you to holding Molly"

"Raven Furlong… I remember that name, hey Mac, she did put me in holding; I remember you had a nametag that had your first initial and last name where most only had a last name"

"Yeah, so I could tell my tag from my older brother's tag" she replied

"Your brother… Chance Furlong is your brother," Mac said in surprise

"Furlong isn't exactly a common last name… especially among Enforcers," Raven growled

T-Bone looked at the gadget that Razor had in his hand and sighed

"We've got to find her," T-Bone said

"We will, T-Bone, we will" Razor assured his friend, but he felt like it was a vain effort.

They had to change locations because Feral shoved them out of where they had found any hints of Raven.

Calico "Callie" Briggs had found them a few minutes into their new search.

"T-Bone, Razor, what are you doing?" Callie asked

"We're trying to find a missing disabled Enforcer."

"Disabled Enforcer… there are several of those…" Callie said in confusion

"Female, wheelchair bound… young" T-Bone said

"Raven Furlong…"

"We think so Miss Briggs," Razor said

T-Bone said nothing, and Callie knew that meant something was up as T-Bone was always willing to take time out of whatever he was doing to talk to her.

"T-Bone, is something wrong?" she asked

"I'm fine, Miss Briggs." He said bitterly

"T-Bone, if I didn't know any better I'd say you knew this particular Enforcer personally," Callie said knowing that T-Bone never spoke to her that way.

"I just feel like it's my fault that she got captured in the first place," T-Bone said

"There was no way we could have known she was in there." Razor said, "She somehow managed to hide in that closet."

"Yeah, and if Mac hadn't hit that closet door they wouldn't have know it either", T-Bone replied, irately,

Callie looked at T-Bone and sighed, he was really beating himself up about what had occurred with the missing Enforcer. Could he possibly know more than he was saying about the young Enforcer? Callie didn't feel like pressing the subject with the large tom-kat. She knew he could easily hurt her if he felt like it… but thus far he showed no signs of aggression towards her, could it be that he didn't normally act aggressive towards she-kats, or was it herself in particular that he didn't take any anger out on. She didn't know and she didn't want to push her luck.

Razor also saw that T-Bone seemed a little more emotionally charged and wondered if that would cost them in the end. He knew that T-Bone was worried about his sister, heck Razor was worried about her too, but he was able to keep it in check a little more than T-Bone, I guess it was because Razor wasn't related to Raven by blood like T-Bone.

Raven was doing her best to hold out until help arrived, as a former Enforcer she knew that these things took time, but for some reason she realized that this was taking too much time.

'There has to be something I can do' she thought 'what would my bro do in this situation, besides kick metal butt'

Raven didn't have to think about that for long as she saw the S.W.A.T Kats enter the room, Mac and Molly had left the room to take care of other things when they arrived.

"Are you okay?" one asked she figured by the build and such this was Razor, she had seen quite a bit and heard that Razor was the smaller tom of the two.

"Yes, I'm fine" she replied

"We don't exactly have time to hang around" the larger tom, T-Bone, said and lifted her from the floor easily. He carried her outside to where their jet was waiting. The Enforcer choppers arrived moments later, having followed the Turbokat all the way there

"Late as usual eh Feral," T-Bone said with a smirk

"Felina came up to them" Place her in my chopper, I'll take her to the hospital to be checked out

"Okay, Felina" T-Bone said, it was obvious to Raven he really didn't want to put her in Felina's chopper, but he had little choice. He placed her in the passenger seat and made sure she was secure before leaving.

"I've never seen T-Bone like this, I know he cares about the kats in this city, but he seems extra concerned about you for some reason," Felina said

"He was there when Mac and Molly took me prisoner, I think in a way he feels guilty that I was taken like that."

"If I'm not mistaken this is the first time an opponent took a hostage with the SWAT kats present… so it might have been a blow to his ego" Felina said

"Were just spit balling, we have no idea what's really going through that burly tom's mind" Raven sighed

"Who knows what he thinks about the world around him… he does so much for this town and yet my uncle still wants to put him in prison"

"Some agree, I'm among those that think those two toms deserve medals or something" Raven smiled

Felina looked at the former Enforcer and wondered what kind of stories she could tell

"Raven, how did you end up…?"

"How did I end up in a wheelchair?" Raven said knowing that was what Felina wanted to know

"Honestly Felina, I don't remember it all… if you want the whole story you'd have to ask Jake Clawson, but I can tell you it was a test flight gone horribly wrong. Jake remembers it, I don't; the neurologist said I probably wouldn't ever remember it because my brain never formed the memories to begin with." Raven sighed, "the only thing I really remember is being selected for the test flight and waking up with my brother by my side unable to feel my legs." Raven confessed "Or that is the only stuff I know is actually memories and not the stories that Jake and others have told me."

Felina looked rather sad

"I heard somewhere that Jake couldn't look Chance in the eye after the crash; he told me that he was ashamed and scared of what Chance would do to him." Raven said

They arrived at the hospital, Raven was checked out, and they found that she had no injuries.

Felina Feral went to visit Jake Clawson in the Enforcer Salvage Yard and wasn't surprised to see him working under the hood of someone's car.

"Jake, do you have a few minutes to spare; I need to talk to you about something?"

"Sure, Felina, what's wrong?" Jake asked

"I was just wondering if you could tell me about what happened to Raven Furlong… she said you would remember what happened."

"Felina, I do remember, and sometimes I wish I didn't" Jake confessed

"Why is that?"

"Seeing her that way, she had come completely out of her seat and was lying over her control panel, I honestly thought she was dead when I first saw her in that position." Jake sighed

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Chance Furlong wasn't in the shop when Felina arrived; he had gone to check on his sister. He didn't need an excuse to do so he was her older brother.

Felina knew that recalling the events that put Raven in a wheelchair was extremely difficult for Jake, he had been there with her, but he had been helpless to protect her.

"Jake, do you have any feelings for Raven… or did you back then."

"The girl was a heck of a pilot, she could almost fly circles around Chance, and honestly that is saying something"

"So I've heard; I've also heard that she was a hothead like her brother."

"Oh yeah, they have matching tempers, like brother like sister." Jake smiled slightly "and about your question, I can't deny that I do like her… but…"

"You don't think you deserve her?"

"No I don't, I let her get… all I had to do was tell Feral that we were going to abort for safety reasons and she wouldn't have been hurt. I let her get hurt Felina how could I possibly be with her after I hurt her."

"How do you know she would have even been able to land that crate, I read the report, there wasn't a system in that damn thing that wasn't faulty in some way, the Enforcers actually sued over that damn piece of crap that was masquerading as a plane." Felina said, "They got a hell of a settlement too,"

"That's good to know, but did that settlement put Raven back on her feet, no, does it make me think any less often about the fact that if I had done something different she might not be in that damn chair… no!" Jake said in fury

"Jake, you did all you knew to do, you kept a cool head in a crisis, you were able to report what you saw and helped Raven in more ways than you know." Felina said "But I don't think you'll believe that from me, that will have to come from her for you to believe it"

Jake sighed and leaned on the car he was working on, he liked Raven, a lot, he respected her as a pilot, and as a she-kat, but most importantly, he felt he knew her better than most did. After the crash, he had been there to lend her support along with Chance Furlong. He knew that no matter what they would have a bond that nothing could change. They had survived what the Enforcers thought was impossible to survive. He couldn't forget what he saw

Jake looked over his console and was mortified by what he saw. Raven was laying limp over her console, she had several bleeding wounds from the impact and she didn't move at all.

"Raven!" he said loudly and his fear was compacted when she didn't even act as if she knew he was speaking to her.

"Furlong, Clawson, report…" Feral commanded over the radio

"We've crashed, Commander… I can't tell if Raven has survived, her restraints failed and she's laying on the console"

Feral took a moment to respond, this was his worst fear, that things would go that wrong in a mere test flight and he would lose one of his best pilots.

The paramedics and Feral found the crash site immediately and it was noted that Raven did have a pulse.

"Is she… dead?" Jake asked

"No, she has a regular pulse and is breathing, but not very well" the medic said then turned to Feral "It might be a good idea to notify her next of kin"

"Holy kats" Chance Furlong, Raven's brother, said in shock "Feral what the hell happened?"

"The plane had some major faults, and they crashed, Furlong, I don't know if your sister will survive." Those words were ones Feral didn't want to say… not to Chance. He was a hell of a pilot, sure, he seemed hotheaded at time, but he was good at what he did. Feral knew that Chance loved Raven and would have done anything to make sure his younger sister was safe, that made giving Chance the bad news about her so much harder

It was a narrow escape, but Raven managed to pull through the ordeal, but the truth was she had no memories of what had occurred, and probably never would.

Jake finished with that vehicle he was working on, and sent the driver on his way and then went inside to the living quarters that he shared with Chance.

Deep down he was thinking about what feelings he had for Raven, were they real. Could he have a chance with her? He didn't know, but those questions wouldn't leave him alone.

Chance was sitting with his sister at her apartment.

"Raven, are you sure you're okay?" Chance asked

"For the fifth time I'm fine, Chance, honestly you're really beginning to get on my nerves." Raven said

Chance sighed; he should know that she was fine. She was _his_ sister after all.

He gave her a gentle embrace

"I just worry about you, sis. You know that"

"I know, bro, and I guess in a way I'm glad you care so much, but bro you're walking a fine line between older brother and mother hen" Raven smirked

"Mother hen…?"

"You heard me Chancy,"

He hated it when she called him that, which was exactly why she tended to use that particular nickname.

He returned to the salvage yard that evening and noticed that Jake seemed lost in thought.

"Hey, Jake, you get lost in that big brain of yours?" Chance asked

"No, I was just thinking about Raven"

"What were you thinking about, my sister?" Chance demanded

"Well Chance, I was thinking that she's a beautiful kat." Jake said, it was part of the truth, he was thinking of how beautiful Raven was

"That can't be all that's swimming around in that big brain of yours," Chance teased

"I was thinking about… Chance, do you think we should let her in on our secret, I mean it's only a matter of time before she figures out that you're T-Bone, and that could really blow up in your face" Jake sighed

"You've got a good point if I open my mouth in front of her as T-Bone I'm as good as sold out," Chance sighed, "so I might as well preempt the whole deal and let her in on the secret before it becomes a big disaster"

"Yeah, if anyone is going to figure out your secret it's her." Jake pointed out

"It's not like she wouldn't recognize you, Jake" Chance smirked

"You think so?"

"Yep," Chance went into his bedroom, but he was still thinking about what happened with Raven that day.

Jake sighed, he had so much that he wanted to tell Raven, but he wasn't sure how to do so. Jake started to ask Chance what he thought, but then thought twice about it and decided against it. Sure Chance was his best friend, but what he was talking about was going into dangerous territory.

The next day Chance picked up Raven and they went back to the Salvage Yard.

"Chance, I don't understand why you won't tell me more about this secret of yours"

"I can't, not out in the open like this" Chance replied

Raven's mouth formed an o as she figured out what he meant.

"It's that big" it was more of a statement than anything else.

"Yep"

They arrived at the Salvage Yard and went into Chance and Jake's home.

"Okay Raven I think it's time we tell you the truth... we... we are the SWAT Kats" Chance said

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5

"I thought so..." Raven said her eyes looking at the duo's reactions

"How did you..."

"How did I figure it out?" Raven smiled deviously "Well, I first became suspicious when I was watching a live video feed of the SWAT Kats in action and got a good look at T-Bone, but what synched it was that day in my apartment when I heard T-Bone talking while I was hiding in the closet."

"So why didn't you let us know that you already knew?" Jake asked

"I was going to wait and let you tell me when you felt ready" she replied "my goodness, if I couldn't notice that poorly hidden trap door then I had better hang my up my hat and give up surveillance for a secretarial job"

Jake gave a low whistle "She's good" he said softly

"So are you going to show me the Turbokat, or what?" Raven asked

"Okay, but, I have to warn you, the hanger isn't exactly wheelchair accessible" Chance said

"Oh..." she sighed

"Wait, remember, the takeoff ramp is just right for her wheelchair and one of us could get the Turbokat from the storage hanger down to the lower level so she can see it." Jake said

"Sounds like a plan, but that requires going to the tunnel in the salvage yard" Chance said

"It sounds like a good plan to me" she smiled

Chance took his sister to the opening in the salvage yard and Jake opened it for them and they went into the hanger from that location.

"Wow... and to think that all this was under the salvage yard and no one knew it" she said in awe

"Now this is my baby... the Turbokat." Chance said as Jake rode the lift down with the plane

"Kats alive, it's even more stunning close up, man I wish I could fly this baby" Raven sighed

"Yeah, you would be the only one outside of the SWAT Kats I would willingly let fly her" Chance said

"Thanks bro," Raven sighed she didn't bring up the new procedure that could allow her to walk as it was still a sore subject between them, but she knew she had to bring it up eventually.

"Raven, I need to tell you something, I rushed judgment on that procedure. Jake did some research on it and found that it has been highly successful before. I also realized this is a chance you should take."

"Chance, I'm glad you see that, and I might need your help after the procedure." she said looking at her brother

"Why is that, Raven?"

"Well the doctor says that I'm going to need someone to help me with the exercises to get the muscle tone built back up in my legs from the time I spent in this chair." Raven explained "I was hoping you would help me with that. Mom and Dad were even less receptive of the idea than you were, they act like they like the fact that I'm in this blasted chair... I'd rather blast the chair to oblivion."

Raven noticed something about Jake

"Is something wrong, Jake?" she asked

"No, I'm fine" he replied

"Jake..."

Jake walked away and Chance shrugged to his sister

"What's eatin him?" she asked

"Dunno, he won't tell me anything"

They left the hanger and returned to the living quarters where Raven told Chance what she would need from him after her procedure.

"I think I can handle that" Chance replied "Hopefully Jake will help"

"Yeah, we can hope"

Raven went home and Chance got a call, it was his mother.

"You didn't encourage Raven to get that procedure done"

"Mom, I very well can't stop her... you know how she is, she'll do it whether we like it or not. Besides, this could give her full independence again; don't you want that for her?" Chance said

"It could also kill her, Chance."

"I know that, but we can't stop her from wanting to walk again, she misses being able to handle a jet and she can't do that if she can't walk" Chance said "Can't you accept that she is a grown kat that just wants to live her own life?"

Their mother sighed wryly, Chance was right, as much as she didn't like to admit it

"Chance, you have a very good point, and it is you sister's life to live" she sighed "tell her we will help with her rehabilitation if she wants us to"

"She already asked me to, and I told her I would... she can stay here with me at the Salvage Yard, we have an extra room that can be easily converted into a bedroom, you would have to do a lot of rearranging to accommodate her I just need to move a couple of things. It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours and we'll have a room set up for her. She can customize it before she goes into the hospital"

"You have a point Chance, and since she asked you I will give you whatever funds you may need to help her"

The next day Raven was to go to the hospital to talk to the doctor about the procedure, Chance went along with her.

"Hello Raven" Dr. Simon said

"Hi Doctor, this is my brother, Chance Furlong" she said

"Well Doc, I have a few questions about this procedure and what we should expect after it." Chance said

"Well Chance, I'm glad you've taken interest in the care your sister will be receiving" the young doctor replied "The procedure is rather new and not many doctors know how to perform it. I have had a lot of success with it myself. Several patients have ended up walking again after it, but she is the first patient I've gotten that was a former Enforcer. I've been surprised by the reaction among the Enforcer community to her being noticed as a candidate for it. They say she might even return to piloting."

"That's my goal is to get back in the pilot's seat" she smiled slightly

"It's always good to have a goal set"

They went into discussion about the procedure and Chance began to understand the promise this held for Raven.

"I hope you aren't getting my sister's hopes up only to let her down" Chance said

"You both know that there are no guarantees, but the amount of support she has gotten from you and the Enforcers, she has a really good chance of success." Dr. Simon smiled; he had been surprised that several Enforcers that knew her had come and spoke with him including Feral.

"Raven, I think you should know that Commander Feral came to me with his own concerns about this. He said that you were one of the best pilots he had seen male or female." Simon sighed "Although he did say you could be a bit of a hotshot."

"Yeah, I was a bit of a hothead... I learned it from this tom over here. He taught me to fly a jet" Raven laughed slightly

After they left the doctor's office they went to get something to eat and were surprised to see Deputy Mayor Calico Briggs

"Miss Briggs, what brings you here?" Chance asked

"I needed to get out of the office for a while" Callie replied

"Deputy Mayor Briggs, it's good to meet you" Raven said "You probably don't know who I am, my name is Raven Furlong"

"That name sounds familiar..." Callie stopped for a moment and thought "you were the... oh I should have recognized you... I was at the test flight. I'm sorry about what happened"

"The way I see it, Miss Briggs, is I made it through with my life and I'm grateful for that. I am also going to be part of a test procedure that could let me walk again"

Callie smiled "It sounds like things are going good for you, Raven; I hope this is a success"

"So do we, Miss Briggs," Chance said

After Callie left Chance looked at his sister to see an odd grin on her face

"You like her, Chancy, just admit it" Raven said as she wheeled herself to the counter

Chance just glared at his sister, knowing fully well that if he opened his mouth he would only prove her right.

"I thought I told you not to call me that" he said

"Don't change the subject, bro, you like Calico Briggs" Raven said

"So what if I do, I don't stand a chance of having her" Chance said

"I don't know about that, Chance, she looked pretty interested in you" Raven said with a grin

"She deserves better than I can give her, you know that I'm in debt with the Enforcers after the incident with the Enforcer building"

"I still hate that fact" Raven grumbled as they got their food and went to sit down "That crash wasn't your fault and yet he wants to hold it against you"

They left the restaurant and went back to the salvage yard where Chance had insisted his sister stay until the repairs could be done to her building after the Metalikats attack.

It was the middle of the night; Chance, Jake and Raven were watching television when they got a call from Callie about an attack in the city.

Chance and Jake left unaware that things were not all as they seemed.

Raven sighed and wheeled herself into the kitchen for some milk and a snack, secretly wondering why her brother had insisted she stay there at the salvage yard. He had left her a way to contact the Turbokat should an emergency come up, but other than that she knew they were better off if she didn't contact them.

A strange sound caught her attention and she looked up just in time to catch sight of something in the window.

"Oh great, what the hell was that, a raccoon?" she thought aloud

Then a strange sound hit her ears

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

She looked at the window again to see a junk yard raccoon looking into the window.

"Crud, stupid raccoon I thought you were a creepling" she muttered tempted to throw the towel at the window

Chance and Jake returned later to find Raven lying on the couch asleep.

"I'll go ahead and get her into bed; can you get her chair where she can use it if she needs it during the night?" Chance said quietly

"Sure" Jake pushed the wheelchair into the spare room and put it by the bed, then turned down the covers so Chance could put his sister in the bed.

Chance wasn't surprised that Raven didn't wake when he lifted her from the couch; she had always been a heavy sleeper.

He placed her in bed and covered her up and she awoke slightly

"Just sleep Rae" he whispered and she returned to slumber.

"Well, that went pretty easy" Jake said once they were out of the room.

"Jake, I need to ask you something" Chance said as they went to sit on the couch

"What is it, buddy?"

"It's about you and Raven... you've been acting a little odd around her, what's goin on?" Chance asked

"Chance, I don't know how to explain this to you... I... I guess I just really like her and in a way I feel responsible for what happened to her, I was a senior Enforcer, I should have told Feral that I was aborting that test flight cause I knew there was something wrong" Jake sighed

"Like her how?" Chance asked

"I don't know, Chance, she... she's beautiful, witty, can match me at a lot of things, and I'm telling you things you already know" Jake sighed "I had... have feelings for your sister, but I don't think I deserve her"

Chance gave Jake a glare, but said nothing. They were getting into hazardous territory where Chance was concerned.

"You do realize we are talking about my little sister, whom I almost lost" Chance said

"I know that, Chance, it's just... I've felt this way since before the accident, I just never had the guts to say anything to you; I know how protective you are of her."

"So you've sat back and lived with your feelings for her just so you wouldn't get me riled up?" Chance asked a bit shocked "Jake, you can't judge yourself on your past mistakes, but I do have one severe warning for if you do want to date my sister, break her heart and I break your neck. That warning goes for any tom that wants to get with my sister."

Jake was stunned

"Chance you mean you wouldn't have been angry with me for..."

"Jake, she's a grown kat and frankly I'd rather her be with you than some tom I don't know and don't know how she would be treated" Chance said "I know that I don't have to go into the speech about treating her right, you know how a she-kat should be treated"

"Yeah, and besides, I care a lot about her, you know I'll take care of her" Jake assured the larger tom

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((**SWAT**))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Meanwhile Callie Briggs couldn't help think about the way Raven and Chance interacted with each other, it was obvious to her that Chance was close to his sister. She gave a soft sigh and went back to her paperwork.

"Callie, is something wrong?" Mayor Manx asked; it was rare that Manx noticed a lot with Callie, but today he seemed unusually aware of things.

"No, Mayor, I'm fine" Callie lied

"Callie, I have known you for too long to believe that" Manx replied

"Okay I can't quit thinking about this tom I met up with earlier"

"Oh, think you might have found someone?" Manx had an odd grin on his face as he watched Callie blush a bright pink.

"Mayor... I don't know him very well, not yet, but by the looks of things I wouldn't mind getting to know him" Callie said

"Don't leave me in suspense here, Callie, who are we talking about and have I ever met him?"

"I don't know if you've met him, but his name is Chance Furlong."

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((**SWAT**))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

The next day Jake and Raven were talking about the events after the accident.

"Jake do you know how many days I was unconscious; no one seems to want to tell me. Every time I ask Chance he just says 'several'" Raven asked

"There is a problem with asking Chance about that, he was so out of it, I'm pretty sure his days ran together." Jake replied "But I know, you were in a coma for almost two weeks, Raven, and we all feared you wouldn't wake up"

Raven sighed

"What did Chance do most of that time?"

"He was at your side constantly, until Dr. Wilson began to worry about Chance's health and told him he needed to take care of himself." Jake sighed "Chance was getting headaches from the lack of sleep, but he was stubborn and Dr. Wilson finally gave him something for the headache and it knocked him out for three days."

"Whoa, something knocked my brother on his tail for three days?" Raven said in surprise

"He wanted to kill the doc for that one, but not two hours after he became fully coherent again you woke up."

"He was holding my hand"

"Yep... first thing you did was squeeze his hand" Jake said "then things went south"

"I realized I couldn't feel my legs, Jake I wanted to cry, scream, curse everything that I could think of, but all I could do was whimper to Chance" tears began to fall down Raven's cheeks as she remembered that moment "I knew I'd never be able to fly again and Jake you have no idea how bad that hurt."

Jake hugged Raven gently as she cried a bit.

"No matter how long it's been I still remember it so vividly, the moment I realized I wouldn't be able to walk" she choked

"We all do, Raven" Jake countered softly

After a little while Raven calmed

"Why don't we talk about something a little happier?" she asked "Oh like whatever there might be between my brother and the deputy mayor, come on Jake there has to be something there; I saw the way Chance looked at her."

"Raven, as far as I know there is nothing between Callie and Chance"

Raven glared at Jake

"Really?" she deadpanned not quite believing him "You mean to have me believe that there is NOTHING between my brother and her especially since I saw the love-struck grin my brother had plastered on his face after she walked away"

"So maybe Chance has a crush on her, but there is nothing going on between them, that I know of anyway"

"Okay, I'll believe that." Raven grinned "do you think he has a chance with her?"

"I don't know" Jake replied

Raven glared at Jake, she did not know him as well as her brother did, but she knew that he wasn't telling her the truth.

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

The next day Raven went in to the hospital for the final prep for the procedure. Chance sighed and helped her into the hospital bed. He knew that soon she would be able to do things like this on her own. At this point she needed his help and he was more than happy to provide the assistance for her.

Jake too was willing to help, but Raven didn't really get exactly why Jake insisted on being so much of a help. She cared about him, loved him, but she thought it was unrequited; he didn't love her… did he?

Chance knew the truth about how Jake felt but wasn't sure how to deal with that truth. Jake loved Raven. In the end Chance couldn't deny that was fact but he wasn't sure if he should encourage Jake to pursue Raven's heart now with this surgery looming heavy on their minds. Would it be better for Raven to know what Jake's intentions were and perhaps find out if she reciprocated Jake's feelings and save him the wondering should the worst happen or would the truth in that scenario make it even worse on Jake?

Chance and Jake left the room to let the nurses help Raven with the things that they felt might be better a couple of toms not participate in and Chance pulled Jake aside to talk.

"Look Jake, I really don't know what we should be doing but right now Raven is probably wondering about you and why you seem so eager to help"

"Chance I know I should come clean to Raven about how I feel but… I don't deserve her, not after the accident… I could have done something, should have done something"

Chance groaned in frustration and resisted the urge to hit his best friend. This shame Jake carried was going to drive one of them to drinking!

"Jake that wasn't your fault; we've gone through this already… there was nothing you could have done. You didn't know how bad that was going to go, she doesn't blame you; I don't blame you so why are you denying yourself so much because of it?"

"Because I…"

"Jake…"

Jake walked away trying to digest what he was hearing, not even Chance blamed him for what had happened that day, it made no sense. He should have called the test flight off at the first sign of trouble but he didn't and things went wrong, Raven almost died and it was because he didn't make that call.

Jake turned to step out of the hospital and nearly ran into Ulysses Feral

"Commander Feral, what brings you here?"

"Checking in on a retired enforcer, what brings you here?"

"Same thing, I guess… look Feral, I've got a lot on my mind right now" Jake sighed and started to leave

"Not even the best gunner could have caught on to what was going to happen to Raven that day, Jake… I don't even think I could have seen that crash coming" Feral said quietly "No one can blame you for anything that day if anything your quick, accurate reporting might have saved her life"

"But…"

"The other guy I was going to put in that gunner seat wouldn't have been nearly as cool headed in that crisis situation as you… she would have died. I have to tip my hat to Chance; it was almost as if he knew with you she would be safe"

"Cool headed… I was panicking"

"You were afraid, but you didn't let that keep you from trying to save Raven" Feral pointed out "While I have a problem with you hotshots, that day, not even I could have done better given the circumstances"

Jake walked away surprised by what Feral had to say, maybe the Commander wasn't as blind as they thought he was.

The surgery was looming heavily on his mind and he feared for Raven and it dawned on him what was at stake and he could bear to let her die without knowing his truth. Jake started back to Raven's hospital room quietly cursing the forces that kept him from seeing what needed to be done sooner. He arrived and found that Raven was in the room alone; apparently Chance was getting some things straightened out with the nursing staff.

"Raven, I… I need to talk to you" Jake said as he entered the room his nerves on edge

"Jake, what is it?" she asked

"Raven there are some things you… you need to know before you go into this surgery" he sighed "I've been hiding things from you"

"What?" she demanded

"Nothing bad, really Raven, I… I just didn't know how to say it… I… some time ago I fell in love with you, don't know when but now… now that needs to be laid out before you go into this and… and I potentially lose my chance to say anything to you" he sighed "if you don't feel the same I understand but… I had to say it"

Raven's thoughts were swimming, he loved her… really loved her, what could she say, she felt the same way

Jake started out

"Jake… wait… I've been keeping a secret too" she said looking away

He turned to her in shock

"What is it?"

"I… I kind of had a crush on you too… I always envied how you managed to stay cool no matter the crisis and then… then I realized I had fallen in love, that it wasn't just a crush, but I thought you never saw me as anything but Chance's little sister. I thought that was all I'd ever be to you and it hurt but I hid the pain of that thought because I didn't think I could change anything about it. Now… to hear you say that makes me wonder if I should have said something earlier"

"I don't know Raven, what's done is done, but… if… if you could accept me now even after what happened"

"What do you mean; this… me being paralyzed, that wasn't your fault Jake; that was no one's fault I though we established that fact now, I don't blame you. I never blamed you" she said tearfully as Jake came closer to her and sat on the edge of the bed beside her before taking her in to his arms "I wish you would quit blaming yourself Jake that was quite a while ago and I've moved on… why can't you?"

"I… I don't know" he said quietly "but I can try to" he moved so he was looking at her and then claimed her lips in a surprise kiss. It took her a few seconds to catch on but she was soon returning the kiss

* * *

Chance was coming back from the nurses' station and was stunned to see his best friend and his sister in a lip lock together

"Kat's alive!" Chance whispered in shock but his words were lost on the new couple.

A few moments after Chance walked in they split for air and that was the moment he had to hold himself back from grabbing Jake by the collar. He had to remember he wanted Raven with Jake he trusted Jake not to hurt Raven the way other toms had in the past. He had nearly beaten the hell out of one of those toms back during her basic training days after he had the nerve to punch her in the face. Chance knew he didn't have to worry about Jake doing that to her, he genuinely loved her.

To Be Continued…


End file.
